After Tuesday’s New Day, CNN’s John Avlon is going to need a new name for his “reality check” statement as he had several factual errors in just the concluding part of his rundown of the leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court will strike down Roe v. Wade, including that striking down Roe and allowing for pro-life laws isn’t conservative.
For a man who presents himself as a fact-checker, Avlon painted laws that are more liberal than France as “severely” restrictive, “if Roe v. Wade is overturned the question of abortion will go back to the states. And for years, conservatives have argued that this would be the federalist solution that could help calm passions in the culture wars. Twenty-two states already have laws in place to ban or severely restrict abortion if Roe falls, but four other states ready to act. Now, these laws include bans on abortion after 15 weeks or even six weeks when many women don't even know they're pregnant.”
That was just one inaccuracy, the non-conservative Avlon then decided it was his duty to lecture actual conservatives on what conservativism means:
And many of these new laws have no exceptions, even in the case of rape or incest, which means that if you live in heavily-gerrymandered states like Texas, Florida, and Ohio, women who are raped could be forced by the state to carry their rapist's baby to term. This is the opposite of small government. This is the opposite of anything resembling libertarianism. It isn't conservative; it's radical. And not only that, the federalist fantasy seems to be next on the Republicans' to-do list with the Washington Post reporting that some GOP senators have been talking about a nationwide ban on abortion after six weeks if and when they retake control of Congress.
Avlon then threatened the Court itself, claiming that only if it rules the way he wants, can it hope to elevate itself beyond political discourse, “So watch out, because if this draft does indicate the end of Roe v. Wade it will not cool the culture wars in our country. It will not help us find common ground. It will not help elevate the Court beyond partisan politics.”
For his final inaccurate claim, Avlon absurdly declared that the Court moving the issue back to the voters and their representatives is undemocratic, “Instead, it will undercut majoritarian democracy, undermine privacy protections, and pour gasoline on our already inflamed political divisions. And that's your reality check.”
No, that Avlon saying an apple really is a banana.
This segment was sponsored by Discover.
Here is a transcript for the May 3 show:
CNN New Day with John Berman and Brianna Keilar
5/3/2022
7:39 AM ET
JOHN AVLON: Now, if Roe v. Wade is overturned the question of abortion will go back to the states. And for years, conservatives have argued that this would be the federalist solution that could help calm passions in the culture wars. Twenty-two states already have laws in place to ban or severely restrict abortion if Roe falls, but four other states ready to act. Now, these laws include bans on abortion after 15 weeks or even six weeks when many women don't even know they're pregnant.
And many of these new laws have no exceptions, even in the case of rape or incest, which means that if you live in heavily-gerrymandered states like Texas, Florida, and Ohio, women who are raped could be forced by the state to carry their rapist's baby to term.
This is the opposite of small government. This is the opposite of anything resembling libertarianism. It isn't conservative; it's radical. And not only that, the federalist fantasy seems to be next on the Republicans' to-do list with the Washington Post reporting that some GOP senators have been talking about a nationwide ban on abortion after six weeks if and when they retake control of Congress.
So watch out, because if this draft does indicate the end of Roe v. Wade it will not cool the culture wars in our country. It will not help us find common ground. It will not help elevate the Court beyond partisan politics. Instead, it will undercut majoritarian democracy, undermine privacy protections, and pour gasoline on our already inflamed political divisions. And that's your reality check.
